We recently had the pleasure of chatting with fun-loving Melbourne marriage celebrant Paul Bonadio (aka A Stand-up Celebrant), who kindly shared all of his top tips for finding the right celebrant and nailing your wedding ceremony.
Are you looking for a Melbourne-based celebrant to provide both tears of laughter and joy on your big day? Let us introduce you to the wonderful Paul Bonadio, aka A Stand-up Celebrant. A veteran comic, Paul has performed at over 400 weddings, using his quick wit, humour, and knack for storytelling to deliver fun, engaging, and sentimental wedding ceremonies.
Easy Weddings: Hi Paul! Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you became a celebrant.
I used to do stand-up comedy, which graduated into MCing all of my friends’ weddings (for little to no payment 😂). A musician friend suggested I become a celebrant. And it was simple as that — it just made sense. And so too did blending comedy into marriage ceremonies while still not undermining the importance of the day. Six (maybe seven?) years later, and here I am — a full-time celebrant and loving every second.
How would you describe your celebrancy style? What sets you apart from other marriage celebrants?
A few things. There are a lot of chuckles (you’d hope so, given I named myself A Stand-up Celebrant). Also, given that my training ground was stand-up, I feel incredibly at ease on stage. I know most celebrants say that, but I genuinely do.
Each script is completely personalised and different, an offshoot of my journalism days and having won the Year 12 Lit Award at school (I’ll hold onto that as long as I possibly can). My aim is always to have guests coming up to me after the ceremony asking me if I had known the couple for years and years before. That’s always lovely.
What should couples consider when searching for their celebrant?
Reviews — quality and quantity. Ask your suppliers, too — they’ve seen it all, from the good to the bad to the missed pronunciations. Also, controversially, I’d go with someone who does it full-time. Just a personal preference. Other things include an excellent PA system, seeing the script beforehand (huge), and having back-ups to back-ups (I have back-up pens — pretty extreme).
More than anything, I’d go with a celebrant that suits your style. If you’re a romantic couple, go for a romantic celebrant. If you prefer a funny celebrant, go for that.
What do you think are the key ingredients for a memorable ceremony?
So much. First, you need someone who you can put all your anxieties and stresses onto. It’s such a big day. Make sure you do your research and place your trust in the celebrant you end up choosing. I also think laughter is a common language. One person laughs, and the next person laughs — suddenly, everyone is having a great time.
I think, however, the most significant ingredient for a memorable ceremony is pinpointing the little things the couple does together. Those little quirks that only they and their crowd know. Guests always love that, demonstrating that you’ve gone to great lengths to understand who the couple is.
A good ceremony is more than just legally getting two people married. It’s about setting the tone for the rest of the night. It’s about having people say how much they enjoyed it and that they haven’t seen anything like it before.
We heard you offer a fun feature called Pimp My Celebrant, can you tell us more about what this involves?
Pimp My Celebrant lets couples choose exactly what they want me to wear. They are mostly normal outfits, but there are also a few joke ones that couples continually pick (I have to cop that — I put them up there after all!).
Did I rip it off Xzibit? Hmm maybe. Please don’t tell him.
Do you have any advice for couples dealing with wedding day nerves?
Yup. Put all of your anxieties and nerves onto your suppliers and let them guide you the rest of the way. I’m not sure the best way to say this, but it’s out of your hands; just try and do your best to soak it in ‘cos the day will fly by quickly.
Alcohol always helps, too (not too much, though).
